Arc and Illinois Senate hopes to stake out own budget position

Today, The Arc of Illinois Board of Directors meet. This will be my last board meeting with this great board who has shown me so much support over the years.

Last week, we started rumors that the Senate staff was working on another state budget for the session this week. Details remain unknown. It is unlikely that the House will even have time to address this new proposal. See story below.

A plan to end a two-year Illinois budget standoff negotiated in the Senate – which likely includes an income tax increase as well as items on Gov. Bruce Rauner’s agenda – could get a vote in Springfield as early as Monday, a leading Republican senator said Sunday.

The deal was still shaping up over the weekend after weeks of talks between Democratic Senate President John Cullerton and GOP Leader Christine Radogno, said Sen. Pamela Althoff, a Republican from McHenry.

While it would mark a significant step toward smashing the logjam on a state spending plan between Republican Rauner and Democratic legislative leaders, there are just two work days remaining for the current General Assembly – no time to seek a House vote.